Wire container



Jan. 28, 1969 VENABLE 3,424,339

WIRE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 20, 196'.

VE/YTOR /DH/L/ /P G. VE/VA 51.5

United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire container for a baler having a bottom portion and a hinged top portion with a latching mechanism for releasably holding the portions. The latching device incorporates an oifset bolt for maximum rotational movement of the bolt with a minimum slot size in the bottom portion of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the baling filed, wire and twine have been used to secure the compressed material and to retain this material in a desired shape. While wire was used extensively on stationary hay balers, twine has become increasingly advantageous for tying the compressed material in the mobile or pickup type balers. However, wire tying in balers provides certain advantages over twine, so the use of one over the other is a point usually considered from the standpoint of availability and choice. In recent years, both wire and twine have become available as a tying means for the compressed bales.

The main parts of the prior art containers for carrying baling wire or twine are the receptacle in which the coil or ball is placed, a removable cover, and a means for securing the cover on the receptacle. Such cover securing means have included snap type latches, spring-loaded locks, and bolts with securing nuts. A standard T-bolt, for instance, has been used to hold the cover and receptacle secure by means of a wing nut threaded on the shank of the bolt. While these latching or securing devices have generally been satisfactory, it is desirable to improve the means for securing the box cover in position. With making the present-day larger capacity machines smaller in size, and with the addition of more automatic devices, the individual components must also be designed to be smaller in size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a container for the tying means for hay balers, and more particularly, is an improved latching device for the container. The latching device includes a T-bolt structure wherein the head of the bolt is offset from the shank and a nut is threaded on the shank for releasably holding the cover of the container. The use of this modified T-bolt has definite advantages in that with the portion of the slots in the receptacle and the cover, this bolt allows the maximum amount of rotational movement while providing a minimum slot size in the receptacle for insertion and movement of the bolt.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved container and latching device for a baler.

Another object is to provide a hinged cover for the container wherein maximum rotational movement of the bolt is available when opening the cover.

A further object is to provide a receptacle with a latching device insertable in a minimum size slot to achieve clearance when opening the cover.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description, taken together with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a container according to the present invention;

3,424,339 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 Ice FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partially in section, of a part of the container shown in FIG. 1 and showing the position of the latching device in solid lines when secured, and in dashed lines when the cover is to be opened;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the oflset bolt.

As seen in FIG. 1, there is shown a container generally designated as 10, the container being suitably supported from frame members 12 and 14 of a hay baler, not shown. Container 10 includes a top half or portion 16 and a bottom half or portion 18, the top half being generally semi-circular in shape and the bottom half being generally dish-shaped. Of course, these portions could be designed in many shapes and sizes to accommodate coils of wire or balls of twine, depending upon the size and shape of the tying material. Additional containers with hinged top portions could be secured along frame member14 and, in this case, the cover could be opened in a direction as suits the particular design. The width of the container could also vary, although it is generally deemed sufiicient to have a container which holds at least two coils of wire in a side by side relationship. The container also includes side portions 20 and 22 so that the construction provides a closed unit for the wire. It is understood, of course, that there are two portions 20 and two portions 22 to complete the enclosure.

A hinge 23 is secured to top 16 at one end thereof and also secured to the frame of the baler. Whenever the top half is opened, it rotates or rocks on the hinge and the rotational movement of the cover is around the hinge. The bottom half of the container remains stationary with the frame of the baler. At the end of the top half oppo site the hinge, the curved portion terminates in a generally flat or edge portion 24 which extends across the width of the container. FIG. 2 shows the flat portion on an enlarged scale and FIG. 3 shows a frontal view at which the operator may be stationed when opening or closing the container. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, flat portion 24 has a slot 26 extending from the edge and terminating short of the curved portion of the top half. There may be one or more of these slots located along the width of the container depending upon the number of latching points required.

The bottom half 18 includes a bracket or end panel 28 secured thereto as by riveting or welding and the bracket extends across the front or the width of the bottom half. End panel 28 includes a generally upright portion 30 and a lateral or horizontal portion 32. The second portion 32 is in essence a lip along the front of the container. A slot 33 is formed in the scond portion, which slot extends around the bend into the first portion, this part of the slot being an extension 31 of slot 33. The lip, of course, may include a plurality of these slots depending upon the width of the container. The slots 33 in lip portion 32, and extensions 31 in upright 30, correspond or match the slots in flat portion 24. When the top and bottom of the container are secured, as shown in FIG. 2, edge portion 24 and the horizontal portion 32 are substantially parallel, however, these portions could be slightly curved to retain the bolt when tightening the nut.

A latching bolt designated as 34 is shown in position in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is shown in detail in FIG. 4. Bolt 34 includes a shank portion 36 and a head portion 38, the shank being threaded for a part of its length. Portion 38 is secured to portion 36 as by welding to one side thereof as shown in FIG. 4.

This particular construction of the latching bolt provides an oifset T-bolt, the function of which will now be described.

In the closed or secured position, the T-bolt is inserted through slot 33 and into slot 26 and a wing nut 40 is threaded on shank 36. When it is desired to open the container, nut 40 is moved upwardly on threaded shank 36 and the shank is moved to the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2. As the bolt is rotated out of slot 26 sufficiently such that the edge portion 24 clears the wing nut when the top half is opened on hinge 23, the bottom portion 42 of shank 36 with attached head 38 moves toward portion 30. This is by reason of the shank 36 contacting the edge defining the slot 33 in edge portion 32, and the bottom portion 42 then extends into the slots 31 and 33. The bottom portion 42 of shank 36, as the bolt is being rotated, provides a lever action as the shank contacts the edge defining the slot 33, and the head 38 is moved along the slot and portion 42 enters into the slot 33 and its extension 31.

It is thus seen that the offset T-bolt allows maximum amount of rotational movement with a minimum size slot to achieve clearance for opening the cover. Also, without the feature of maximum bolt rotation, the bolt otherwise used would have to be appreciably longer, and therefore require more thread cutting, to provide clearance of the cover 22 past the loosened nut 40 on the other bolt mentioned. In some instances, it may be desirable to restrict the rotational movement of the cover and latching bolt. The bolt could be reversed in slot 33 so that head 38 would be adjacent portion 30 when the bolt is in the upright position. Herein shown and described is an improved latch and container for tying material by use of an otfset bolt which bolt is rotated and extends into a minimum size slot. In many cases, the amount of space or material is limited and the offset bolt is especially useful in these areas where maximum movement is required, The bolt could also be used on flat material instead of the perpendicular portions as shown, however, the specific embodiment is for a container as described.

Other variations on the above described construction may occur to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that all such variations are contemplated as being Within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the .United States is:

1. In a wire container for a hay baler, a two-piece container hinged together along one side of said two pieces for opening and closing said container, said two pieces each having a slot extending therethrough and with said slots being aligned together in the closed position of said container, a bolt shank extending through said aligned slots and a nut on said bolt shank and a bolt head on one end of said bolt shank, for securing said container closed, one of said slots extending through the edge of one of said two pieces for rotation of said bolt shank in the other of said slots and out of and free of said one slot, the other of said slots being fully confined in the other of said two pieces, the improvement comprising said other slot having a slot extension continuous with said other slot, and on one side of said bolt shank, said bolt head extending across said other slot on the side thereof opposite said one slot and being offset on said bolt shank and only on the side of said bolt shank opposite said one side, said one end of said bolt shank being narrower than said slot extension to be received in said slot extension upon rotation of said bolt shank whereby only a minimum length of said bolt shank and only a minimum angle of rotation are required to remove said bolt shank from said one slot when said nut is loosened and said two pieces are slightly opened.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said bolt head and said bolt shank form a T-shaped bolt with the cross bar constituting said bolt head extending along said opposite side of said bolt shank.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said slots are disposed in parallel planes when said container is closed, and said slot extension is angularly disposed relative to and off from said other slot and extends in the direction away from said one slot.

4. The subject matter of claim 3, wherein said other of said two pieces includes an angled portion and with said other slot being disposed in one part of said angled portion and with said slot extension being disposed in another part of said angled portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 750,574 1/1904 Bicket 242-146 751,214 2/1904 Steeb 242-146 X 1,480,544 1/1924 Cox 22055 2,197,180 4/1940 Jenne 242--l29 GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 242-129 

